Top 3 Companies for excellence in CSR

CSR is generally seen as the business contribution to sustainable development. The goal is to embrace responsibility, and encourage a positive impact through its activities on the members of the public sphere. Top 3 companies for excellence in CSR.

Infosys Foundation has several CSR initiatives Photograph: Google

Corporate social responsibility (CSR) also called corporate responsibility is a concept where organizations consider the interests of society by taking responsibility for the impact of their activities on customers, suppliers, employees, shareholders, communities and other stakeholders, as well as the environment. CSR-focused businesses proactively promote the public interest by encouraging community growth and development. CSR is the deliberate inclusion of public interest into corporate decision-making, and the honouring of a triple bottom line: people, planet, profit. Many firms believe that this focus provides a clear competitive advantage and stimulates corporate innovation.

According to a survey conducted by Great Place to Work Institute, Standard Chartered Bank, Intel Technology India Pvt Ltd and Infosys Technologies Ltd are leading the way forward with their Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) initiatives. The Great Place to Work Institute has been assessing the world's best companies in over 40 countries since 1980 and honors recipients according to its employees scores against the Institute's values of ‘credibility', ‘respect', ‘fairness', ‘pride', and ‘camaraderie'. The 2010 edition is the seventh study in India, which received overwhelming response from more than 400 companies, making it the largest such study in India.

Infosys Technologies LtdInfosys Foundation has worked to support the underprivileged in society and enrich their lives. Promoted by Infosys Technologies Limited, the Foundation began its work in Karnataka, India, gradually extending its activities to the states of Tamil Nadu, Andhra Pradesh, Maharashtra, Orissa and Punjab. Making high-quality healthcare the norm is an ongoing challenge. Since its inception, the Foundation has initiated several activities that benefit the rural and urban poor. Apart from constructing hospital wards, donating hi-tech equipment and organizing health camps, the Foundation also distributes medicines to economically-weaker sections in remote areas.

Whether it is organizing an annual mela that empowers destitute women or building orphanages that give children a better life, the Foundation's activities address the needs of society's most neglected. The Foundation has organized unique annual melas in different parts of the country, including Bangalore and Sedam in Karnataka, and Chennai in Tamil Nadu, to distribute sewing machines to destitute women and help them earn a livelihood. The Foundation also offers an edge to deprived and rural students, through its activities In what is one of the largest rural education programs in the country, the foundation has donated 10,200 sets of books in Karnataka alone, and in Andhra Pradesh, Karnataka, Orissa and Kerala, under its Library for Every Rural School project. Through this program, the Foundation has set up more than 10,150 libraries in rural government schools. A minimum of 200 books, depending on the strength of the school, is provided.

The Foundation has helped revive the art of the weavers of Pochampalli village in Andhra PradeshIt helps organize cultural programs to promote artists in rural areas of Karnataka and Andhra PradeshIt traces and honors artistes from different parts of India. It organizes programs like puppet shows and other cultural events to encourage artistes and performers in rural areas of Karnataka and Andhra Pradesh, and offers them financial assistance to carry forward their art

Intel Technology India Pvt Ltd. Launched in 2002, the Intel ‘Involved in the Community’ program started as a small-scale informal employee initiative, which focused on activities such as tree planting and blood donation drives. By 2004, Intel Involved was fully incorporated into the company’s corporate culture through the development of team volunteering activities, with programs focusing in the areas of education, technology inclusion and health. Some of the key initiatives include: Centre for Economic Empowerment of Intellectually Challenged (CEEIC) - In conjunction with AMBA, a local NGO, Intel provides the intellectually-challenged community with training to learn computer skills. The Centre then helps procure employment from various companies for the participants, empowering them to earn a regular income. This initiative has now grown to 15 centres in 12 cities across the country.

HIV/AIDS Awareness Program - Intel has established a program for raising awareness levels on HIV/AIDS to high prevalence areas in the community. In partnership with NGOs, voluntary counseling and testing agencies, the HIV/AIDS peer education program has reached out to 15,000 adolescents in Bangalore. Also Intel believes that climate change is a serious economic, social and environmental challenge. Activities include celebrating Global Earth Day, World Environment Day and the Environment Research Contest. Over the last five years, Intel employees have planted and nurtured more than 6,000 trees in and around Bangalore while the “Intel for a Better Bannerghatta” project resulted in a plastic and litter-free biological park and also created a learning space for the local community with the setup of information kiosks. Meanwhile, a Solid Waste Management Program in partnership with TERI (The Energy Resources Institute) is currently underway in Annasandrapalya, Bangalore.

Intel is also involved in ‘Volunteer Matching Grants Program’. The program encourages Intel employees to invest time in identified K–12 schools and NGOs. With every 20 hours invested by Intel employees, the Intel Foundation donates US$80 to schools and NGOs. Currently more than 15 schools and NGOs are part of this program in Bangalore, Delhi and Mumbai. Employee participation has doubled over the last two years with 91 percent of employees volunteering more than 36,000 hours.

Standard Chartered Bank Standard Chartered Bank believes in contributing to the society and have tried to achieve so by way of some key initiatives that they support in India - Living with HIV, the environmental social networking project ‘Go Green’, the Standard Chartered Marathon, GOAL, and Seeing is Believing to name a few.

Their Seeing is Believing programme has helped restore sight to two million people globally and by 2013 it is their aim that the programme will have reached it’s target of US$20 million to provide sustainable eye-care services for 20 million people in deprived communities in 20 cities. In India, since 2004, Seeing is Believing has benefited over half a million people across the country through cataract surgeries. By the end of 2010, they expect another 1.4 million people in the country to benefit through primary eye care services and cataract surgeries. GOAL - In many parts of the developing world, women lack the opportunities and role-models to take control of their lives and contribute to society. Empowering women is part of their strategy for improving social and economic development in the country. Goal is one of Standard Chartered Bank's community investment initiatives that aims to empower young women for personal and economic development in underprivileged areas of India, where the government has identified improving gender equality as a priority.

Goal uses a combination of life skills education and netball to increase confidence, self esteem and develop key skills such as communication, decision making, and leadership. The programme educates girls on important topics such as health and well-being, sexual health and rights, and financial literacy. Each community has its own netball team so the girls can engage in regular physical activities and learn to play as a team in a safe environment. Goal is run in partnership with the International Federation of Netball Associations, the Naz India Trust Foundation and various local non-governmental organisations (NGOs).